JP7551789B2 - Series hybrid straddle vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a series hybrid saddle-type vehicle.

There is a series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle that runs by driving a drive motor with power supplied from an engine drive power supply unit (for example, Patent Document 1). The series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle described in Patent Document 1 includes a battery, an engine drive power supply unit, and a drive motor, and runs by the drive motor supplied with power from the battery and the engine drive power supply unit.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/168171

Saddle-type vehicles are required to be small and lightweight. Series hybrid saddle-type vehicles are also required to be small and lightweight. Therefore, since a series hybrid saddle-type vehicle is equipped with a battery, an engine-driven power supply unit, and a drive motor, it is required that these elements be arranged compactly. In contrast, since the engine-driven power supply unit is equipped with a generator engine, if the elements are arranged closely together in a series hybrid saddle-type vehicle, there is a possibility that the vibrations and heat of the generator engine will be transmitted to the other elements. The object of the present invention is to provide a series hybrid saddle-type vehicle that is compactly configured while reducing the effects of the vibrations and heat of the generator engine.

The inventor has studied how to compactly arrange the elements mounted on a series hybrid straddle-type vehicle. In the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle of Patent Document 1, the battery and the engine-driven power supply unit are arranged in close proximity. Here, the generator engine of the engine-driven power supply unit generates vibrations and heat. In the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle of Patent Document 1, the vibrations and heat of the generator engine may be transmitted to the battery. Furthermore, the vibrations of the generator engine may also be transmitted to the battery via the vehicle frame. If the vibrations and heat are transmitted to the battery, this may affect the performance of the battery, for example, charging and discharging.

Therefore, the present inventor has studied ways of making the body of a series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle more compact, taking into consideration the vibrations and heat generated by the generator engine of the engine-driven power supply unit. In the course of this study, the present inventor has discovered that by supporting the generator engine on the body frame so as to allow vibration, and providing a gap between the engine and the battery to allow vibration, the vibrations and heat of the generator engine can be prevented from being transmitted to the battery. Specifically, the generator engine is supported on the body frame via a support mechanism configured to allow vibration of the generator engine relative to the body frame, and the battery is supported on the body frame so as to be swingable or fixed, so as to satisfy all of the following (A) to (C). Here, the above (A) to (C) are:
(A) the battery is disposed in front of the generator engine in the fore-and-aft direction of the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle;
(B) at least a portion of the battery is disposed so as to overlap with the generator engine when the series hybrid saddle-type vehicle is viewed in the front-rear direction;
(C) The battery is positioned to face the generator engine in the fore-and-aft direction of the series hybrid saddle-type vehicle with a gap therebetween, and the gap is greater than the sum of the maximum amplitude of vibration permitted by the support mechanism in the direction of vibration and the maximum amplitude of the battery in the direction of vibration.

By supporting the generator engine on the vehicle frame via a support mechanism configured to allow vibration of the generator engine relative to the vehicle frame, it is possible to suppress the transmission of vibration of the generator engine to the vehicle frame. In addition, by arranging the battery as in (A) and (B), the battery and the generator engine can be arranged in the front-rear direction of the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle, and the size in the left-right and up-down directions can be suppressed. In addition, by arranging as in (C), it is possible to suppress the transmission of the permitted vibration of the generator engine to the battery and the transmission of the heat of the generator engine to the battery. In other words, the gap between the generator engine and the battery in (C) can serve both as a gap for suppressing the transmission of vibration of the generator engine to the battery and a gap for suppressing the transmission of heat of the generator engine to the battery. By supporting the generator engine and the battery on the vehicle frame in this way, it is possible to configure the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle compactly while reducing the effects of vibration and heat of the generator engine.

In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle has the following configuration.
(1) A series hybrid saddle-type vehicle,
The series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle is
The vehicle frame,
a front wheel and a rear wheel provided at different positions in a front-rear direction of the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle;
a generator engine having one or more cylinders and supported by the vehicle body frame via a support mechanism;
a generator supported by the generator engine and driven by the generator engine to generate electricity;
a battery to which power is supplied from the generator;
the support mechanism is configured to allow vibration of the generator engine relative to the vehicle body frame, and a direction of the vibration includes at least a component in the front-rear direction;
both the battery and the generator engine are provided to be located at least partially in a region between the front and rear wheels, the region between the front and rear wheels being a region between the rear ends of the front wheels and the front ends of the rear wheels in the front-rear direction and below the higher of the upper ends of the front wheels and the upper ends of the rear wheels;
The battery is supported by the vehicle body frame in a swingable or fixed manner so as to satisfy all of the following (A) to (C), and the (A) to (C) are:
(A) the battery is disposed forward of the generator engine in the front-rear direction;
(B) at least a portion of the battery overlaps with the generator engine when viewed in a front-rear direction of the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle; and
(C) The battery is positioned facing the generator engine in the fore-and-aft direction with a gap therebetween, and the gap is greater than the sum of the maximum amplitude of the vibration permitted by the support mechanism in the direction of vibration and the maximum amplitude of the battery in the direction of vibration.

The series hybrid straddle-type vehicle (1) includes a vehicle body frame, front and rear wheels, a generator engine, a generator, and a battery.
The generator engine has one or more cylinders. The generator engine is supported on the vehicle body frame via a support mechanism. The support mechanism is configured to allow the generator engine to vibrate relative to the vehicle body frame. The direction of the vibration includes at least a component in the front-rear direction.
The front wheels and the rear wheels are provided at different positions from each other in the fore-and-aft direction of the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle.
The generator is supported by the generator engine and is driven by the generator engine to generate electricity.
Both the battery and the generator engine are provided to be located at least partially in the area between the front and rear wheels, which is an area between the rear ends of the front wheels and the front ends of the rear wheels in the front-to-rear direction and below the higher of the upper ends of the front wheels and the rear wheels.
The battery is supplied with electric power from a generator. The battery is supported on the vehicle body frame in a swingable or fixed manner so as to satisfy all of the following (A) to (C). The above (A) to (C) are:
(A) the battery is disposed forward of the generator engine in the fore-and-aft direction of the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle;
(B) at least a portion of the battery overlaps with the generator engine when the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle is viewed in the front-rear direction; and
(C) The battery is positioned facing the generator engine in the fore-and-aft direction with a gap therebetween, and the gap is greater than the sum of the maximum amplitude of vibration permitted by the support mechanism in the direction of vibration and the maximum amplitude of the battery in the direction of vibration.
The battery may be rigidly fixed to the vehicle frame, or may be supported via an elastic member or link mechanism to allow vibration of the vehicle frame relative to the battery (to suppress transmission of vibration to the battery).

In the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle of (1), the generator engine is supported on the vehicle body frame via a support mechanism configured to allow vibration of the generator engine relative to the vehicle body frame. This makes it possible to suppress the transmission of vibration of the generator engine to the vehicle body frame. In addition, by arranging the battery as in (A) and (B), the battery and the generator engine can be arranged in the front-rear direction of the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle, and the size in the left-right direction and the up-down direction can be suppressed. In addition, by arranging as in (C), the permitted vibration of the generator engine can be suppressed from being transmitted to the battery, and the heat of the generator engine can be suppressed from being transmitted to the battery. In other words, the gap between the generator engine and the battery in (C) can serve both as a gap for suppressing the transmission of vibration of the generator engine to the battery and a gap for suppressing the transmission of heat of the generator engine to the battery. By supporting the generator engine and the battery on the vehicle body frame in this way, the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle can be configured compactly while allowing vibration and heat generation of the generator engine. Compactification can be achieved while reducing the effects of vibration and heat. The gap may be, for example, partially or entirely contained in the area between the front and rear wheels, which allows for a more compact arrangement.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the engine driven power supply unit can employ the following configuration.
(2) A series hybrid saddle-type vehicle according to (1),
The series hybrid straddle-type vehicle includes a heat insulating member disposed in the gap.

The series hybrid straddle-type vehicle (2) is provided with a heat insulating member disposed in the gap. This allows the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle (2) to suppress the transfer of radiant heat to the battery.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a series hybrid straddle-type vehicle can employ the following configuration.
(3) A series hybrid saddle-type vehicle according to (1) or (2),
The series hybrid straddle-type vehicle includes an elastic member disposed within the gap.

The series hybrid straddle-type vehicle (3) is provided with an elastic member disposed within the gap. This allows the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle (3) to suppress vibrations of the generator engine itself.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a series hybrid straddle-type vehicle can employ the following configuration.
(4) A series hybrid straddle-type vehicle according to any one of (1) to (3),
The support mechanism includes:
a link member attached to the vehicle body frame and supporting the generator engine;
a stopper provided on the vehicle body frame to limit a range of swing of the link member;
has.

The series hybrid saddle-type vehicle of (4) includes a link member and a stopper. The link member is attached to the body frame and supports the generator engine. The stopper limits the range of oscillation of the link member. This enables the series hybrid saddle-type vehicle of (4) to suppress large engine vibrations.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a series hybrid straddle-type vehicle can employ the following configuration.
(5) A series hybrid straddle-type vehicle according to any one of (1) to (4),
the generator engine is eccentrically disposed such that a volume of the one or more cylinders included in a first region is smaller than a volume of the one or more cylinders included in a second region, and the generator is partially or entirely included in the first region, and the first region and the second region refer to two regions defined by dividing a space including the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle into two by a center plane that passes through the center of the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle in the left-right direction of the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle and extends in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction,
The series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle further comprises:
a drive motor that generates a drive force for propelling the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle;
a power line for electrically connecting the battery, the generator, and the drive motor;
The power lines are arranged such that a larger portion of the power lines is included in the first region than in the second region.

In the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle of (5), the volume of one or more cylinders included in the first region of the generator engine is smaller than the volume of the one or more cylinders included in the second region. Also, in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle of (5), the generator is eccentrically positioned so that it is partially or entirely included in the first region. This allows the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle of (5) to have a larger space in the second region than in the first region. At this time, in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle of (5), the power lines that provide electrical connection between the battery, the generator, and the drive motor are positioned so that a larger portion of the power lines is included in the first region than in the second region. This allows the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle of (5) to make effective use of space.
The power line may directly connect the battery and the generator, or may connect the battery and the generator via an inverter.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a series hybrid straddle-type vehicle can employ the following configuration.
(6) A series hybrid straddle-type vehicle according to any one of (1) to (5),
the generator engine is eccentrically disposed such that a volume of the one or more cylinders included in a first region is smaller than a volume of the one or more cylinders included in a second region, and the generator is partially or entirely included in the first region, and the first region and the second region refer to two regions defined by dividing a space including the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle into two by a center plane that passes through the center of the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle in the left-right direction of the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle and extends in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction,
The series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle further comprises:
A radiator disposed in front of the battery;
a running wind passage configured so that running wind passes beside the battery in the first area;
An air-cooling fin for the battery is provided so as to be exposed to the running wind passage;
and an exhaust passage configured to direct exhaust air from the radiator to the side of the battery in the second area.

The series hybrid straddle-type vehicle (6) has a radiator, a running air passage, air-cooling fins, and an exhaust air passage.
The radiator is disposed in front of the battery.
The traveling wind passage is configured so that traveling wind passes beside the battery in the first area.
The air-cooling fins are provided on the battery so as to be exposed to the running air passage.
The exhaust passage is configured to direct exhaust air from the radiator to the side of the battery in the second region.
In the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle of (6), the exhaust air of the radiator passes through the second area, and the running air passes through the first area. The air-cooling fins of the battery are disposed in the first area. Therefore, in the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle of (6), the battery is cooled by the running air, and the exhaust air warmed by the radiator is prevented or suppressed from hitting the air-cooling fins of the battery, thereby suppressing an increase in the temperature of the battery.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of defining particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. The term "and/or" as used herein includes any or all combinations of one or more of the associated listed components. As used herein, the use of the terms "including," "comprising," or "having" and variations thereof identifies the presence of the described features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or their equivalents, but may include one or more of the steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the terms "attached," "connected," "coupled," and/or their equivalents are used broadly and include both direct and indirect attachments, connections, and couplings. Furthermore, "connected" and "coupled" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections or couplings, but may include direct or indirect electrical connections or couplings. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted to have a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the relevant technology and this disclosure, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein. In the description of the present invention, it is understood that a number of techniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these has separate benefits, and each can also be used with one or more, or in some cases all, of the other disclosed techniques. Thus, for clarity, this description will refrain from unnecessarily repeating all possible combinations of individual steps. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that all such combinations are within the scope of the present invention and claims.

A new series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle is described herein. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. The present disclosure is to be considered as an example of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated in the following drawings or description.

A straddled vehicle is a vehicle in which the driver sits astride a saddle. Examples of straddled vehicles include moped, off-road, and on-road motorcycles. In addition, straddled vehicles are not limited to motorcycles, and may be three-wheeled vehicles, ATVs (All-Terrain Vehicles), and the like. A three-wheeled vehicle may have two front wheels and one rear wheel, or one front wheel and two rear wheels. The driving wheels of a straddled vehicle may be the rear wheels or the front wheels. In addition, the driving wheels of a straddled vehicle may be both the rear wheels and the front wheels. In addition, it is preferable that the straddled vehicle is configured to be able to turn in a lean position. A straddled vehicle configured to be able to turn in a lean position is configured to turn in a position tilted to the center of the curve. As a result, a saddle-type vehicle configured to be able to turn in a lean position counters the centrifugal force acting on the vehicle when turning.

The body frame forms the skeleton of the saddle-type vehicle and supports the mounted components of the saddle-type vehicle, such as the battery, the engine-driven power supply unit, and the drive motor. The body frame has a head pipe and a girder section fixed to the head pipe. Examples of the body frame include, but are not limited to, single grade wheel type, double grade wheel type, diamond type, and monocoque type. The body frame is integrated with the frame body and rigid parts to bear the load from the front and rear wheels.

The power generation engine is, for example, an engine having a high load region and a low load region. The power generation engine is, for example, a four-stroke engine. The four-stroke engine has a high load region and a low load region during the four strokes. The four-stroke engine having a high load region and a low load region is, for example, a single-cylinder engine. It also has a high load region and a low load region. The four-stroke engine having a high load region and a low load region is, for example, a two-cylinder engine, an unevenly-spaced combustion type three-cylinder engine, or an unevenly-spaced combustion type four-cylinder engine. The four-stroke engine having a high load region and a low load region includes a continuous non-combustion section of 180 degrees or more during one cycle of 720 degrees. The four-stroke engine having a high load region and a low load region does not include, for example, an evenly-spaced combustion type engine with three or more cylinders. The four-stroke engine is, for example, an engine having fewer than three cylinders. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the four-stroke engine is, for example, a single-cylinder engine or a two-cylinder engine. The two-cylinder engine may be an unequal-interval combustion engine having two cylinders. An example of an unequal-interval combustion engine having two cylinders is a V-type engine. The cylinder may be provided in either an upright or a lying position. In a preferred embodiment, the cylinder is provided in a lying position. "The cylinder has an upright position" means that the cylinder is set so that the cylinder faces upward when the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle is in an upright state. When the engine has a plurality of cylinders, it is sufficient that at least one cylinder has an upright position. Here, facing upward means that the cylinder extends upward from the rotation axis of the engine in the vertical direction of the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle, and the inclination angle of the central axis of the cylinder hole with respect to the vertical line is within a specific angle. The specific angle may be, for example, 45 degrees or 30 degrees. The inclination angle is determined based on a plane that includes both the central axis and the vertical line. Furthermore, "the cylinder has a reclined position" means that the cylinder is set so that the cylinder faces forward when the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle is in an upright position. If the engine has multiple cylinders, it is sufficient that at least one cylinder has a reclined position. Here, "facing forward" means that the cylinder extends forward from the rotation shaft of the engine in the fore-and-aft direction of the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle, and that the inclination angle of the central axis of the cylinder bore with respect to the vertical line is between 45 degrees and 135 degrees. Note that the inclination angle is determined based on a plane that includes both the central axis and the vertical line.

The generator is, for example, a permanent magnet type starter generator. The generator may be, for example, a motor that does not use permanent magnets. The permanent magnet type generator is, for example, a brushless motor. A brushless motor is a motor that does not have a commutator. The generator is a motor generator that is driven by an engine and generates electricity. The generator may function as a starter motor that starts the engine. The generator is not limited to this. The permanent magnet type generator may be, for example, a brushed DC motor. The brushless motor may be, for example, an outer rotor type or an inner rotor type. Furthermore, the brushless motor may be an axial gap type instead of a radial gap type. Furthermore, the generator may be, for example, a type that does not have a permanent magnet in the rotor.

The support mechanism is a connection part or a combination of these connection parts for supporting the generator engine on the vehicle body frame. The support mechanism supports the generator engine on the vehicle body frame while allowing vibration of the generator engine. The connection part that supports the generator engine on the vehicle body frame while allowing vibration of the generator engine is, for example, an elastic member that connects the generator engine and the frame. The combination of connection parts that supports the generator engine on the vehicle body frame while allowing vibration of the generator engine is, for example, a combination of a link mechanism and an elastic member. The elastic member is, for example, a rubber bush. The elastic member may be, for example, an inner and outer cylinder bush, a currant bush, or a damper rubber. The elastic member is a member having elasticity. The elastic member includes, for example, a buffer member, a vibration-damping member, a vibration-proof member, etc. The link mechanism is, for example, a combination of a link plate and a rotation support part. The rotation support part is, for example, a bearing support part constituted by a bearing. Instead of a bearing, the rotation support part may be supported by, for example, an elastic body constituted so that the link mechanism can rotate.

The gap between the battery and the generator engine does not necessarily have to be air. The gap may be filled with an elastic material such as rubber. Furthermore, the gap between the battery and the generator engine may include a gap of rubber and air.

The battery and the generator engine "facing each other" in the fore-and-aft direction includes, for example, a configuration in which air is present in the gap between the engine and the battery. However, the "facing" configuration is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a configuration in which components that are directly related to the functions of the engine and the battery, such as insulating materials and elastic materials for the battery and the engine, are present in the gap between the engine and the battery. However, the "facing" configuration does not include a configuration in which components that are not directly related to the functions of the engine or the battery, such as a motor or a vehicle frame, are present.

The present invention makes it possible to provide a series hybrid saddle-type vehicle that is compactly constructed while allowing for vibration and heat generation from the generator engine.

1 is a left side view showing a configuration of a series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 11 is an enlarged left side view showing a configuration of a battery and a generator engine of a series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is an enlarged left side view showing the configuration of a battery and a generator engine of a series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 1A is a left side view showing an enlarged configuration of a generator engine of a series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 1B to 1D are left side views showing enlarged configurations of a support mechanism for the generator engine of the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle. FIG. 13 is a top view showing the configuration of a series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a top view showing the configuration of a series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a left side view showing the configuration of a series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
In this specification and drawings, F indicates the forward direction in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1. B indicates the rearward direction in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1. FB indicates the front-rear direction in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1. U indicates the upward direction in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1. D indicates the downward direction in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1. UD indicates the up-down direction in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1. L indicates the leftward direction in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1. R indicates the rightward direction in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1. LR indicates the left-right direction in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1. LR is also the vehicle width direction in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1. In other words, the vehicle width direction LR in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1 includes both the rightward direction R and the leftward direction L in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1.

The series hybrid straddle-type vehicle 1 of FIG. 1 includes a vehicle body frame 10 , a front wheel 15 and a rear wheel 16 , a generator engine 20 , a generator 30 , and a battery 40 .
The generator engine 20 has one or more cylinders 21. The generator engine 20 is supported on the vehicle body frame 10 via a support mechanism 25. The support mechanism 25 is configured to allow the generator engine 20 to vibrate relative to the vehicle body frame 10. The direction of the vibration includes at least a component in the front-rear direction FB.
The front wheel 15 and the rear wheel 16 are provided at different positions from each other in the fore-and-aft direction FB of the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle 1 .
The generator 30 is supported by the generator engine 20. The generator 30 is driven by the generator engine 20 to generate electricity.
Both the battery 40 and the generator engine 20 are provided so as to be located at least partially in the front-rear wheel region X. The front-rear wheel region X is a region between the rear ends 15b of the front wheels 15 and the front ends 16a of the rear wheels 16 in the fore-aft direction FB, and below the higher of the upper ends 15c of the front wheels 15 and the upper ends 16c of the rear wheels 16.
The battery 40 is supplied with electric power from the generator 30. The battery 40 is supported in a swingable or fixed manner on the body frame 10 so as to satisfy all of the following (A) to (C).
(A) the battery 40 is disposed in front of the generator engine 20 in the fore-and-aft direction FB of the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle 1;
(B) at least a portion of the battery 40 overlaps with the generator engine 20 when the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle 1 is viewed in the front-rear direction FB; and
(C) The battery 40 is positioned facing the generator engine 20 in the fore-and-aft direction FB with a gap S therebetween, and the gap S is larger than the sum of the maximum vibration amplitude S1 permitted by the support mechanism 25 in the vibration direction and the maximum vibration amplitude S2 of the battery in the vibration direction.
The battery 40 may be rigidly fixed to the body frame 10, or may be supported via an elastic member or link mechanism so as to allow vibration of the body frame 10 relative to the battery 40, i.e., so as to suppress the transmission of vibration to the battery 40.

In the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle 1 of this embodiment, the generator engine 20 is supported on the vehicle body frame 10 via a support mechanism 25 configured to allow vibration of the generator engine relative to the vehicle body frame 10. This makes it possible to suppress the transmission of vibration of the generator engine 20 to the vehicle body frame 10. In addition, by arranging the battery 40 as in (A) and (B), the battery 40 and the generator engine 20 can be arranged in the front-rear direction FB of the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle 1, and the size in the left-right direction and the up-down direction UD can be suppressed. In addition, by arranging the battery 40 as in (C), the permitted vibration of the generator engine 20 can be suppressed from being transmitted to the battery 40, and the heat of the generator engine 20 can be suppressed from being transmitted to the battery 40. That is, the gap S between the generator engine 20 and the battery 40 in (C) can serve both as a gap for suppressing the transmission of vibration of the generator engine 20 to the battery 40 and a gap for suppressing the transmission of heat of the generator engine 20 to the battery 40. By supporting the generator engine 20 and the battery 40 on the vehicle body frame 10 in this manner, the series hybrid saddle-type vehicle 1 can be constructed compactly while allowing for vibration and heat generation from the generator engine 20 .

[Second embodiment]
A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described. Fig. 2 is an enlarged left side view showing the configuration of a series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 2 is configured as follows. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1 shown in Fig. 1.

The series hybrid straddle-type vehicle 1 in FIG. 2 is provided with a heat insulating member 41 disposed in the gap S. This allows the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle 2 of this embodiment to suppress the transmission of radiant heat from the generator engine 20 to the battery 40.

[Third embodiment]
A third embodiment of the present invention will now be described. Fig. 3 is an enlarged left side view showing the configuration of a series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 3 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 3 is configured as follows. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1 shown in Fig. 1.

The series hybrid straddle-type vehicle 3 in Fig. 3 is provided with an elastic member 42 disposed within the gap S. This allows the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle 3 of this embodiment to suppress vibrations of the generator engine 20 itself.

[Fourth embodiment]
A fourth embodiment of the present invention will now be described. Fig. 4(a) is an enlarged left side view showing the configuration of the generator engine 20 of the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 4 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 4(b) to 4(d) are enlarged left side views showing the configuration of the support mechanism 25 of the generator engine 20 of the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 4. In this embodiment, the support mechanism 25 of the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 4 is configured as follows. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1 shown in Fig. 1.

The support mechanism 25 of the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle in FIG. 4(a) is attached to the body frame 10 and has link members 251 and 252 that support the generator engine 20, and a stopper 253 that is provided on the body frame 10 and limits the range of swing of the link member 251. In this embodiment, the link members 251 and 252 are provided, for example, at two locations on the right side of the body frame 10 and two locations on the left side. The stopper 253 is provided, for example, at one location on the right side of the body frame 10 and one location on the left side. Note that FIG. 4(a) only illustrates the link members 251 and 252 on the left side of the body frame 10 and the stopper 253, and does not illustrate the link members 251 and 252 on the right side of the body frame 10 and the stopper 253.

The link member 251 of the support mechanism 25 has a bearing support part 251-1, an elastic body support part 251-2, and an engine support part 251-3, as shown in Fig. 4(b) and . The link member 251 is attached to the vehicle body frame 10 via the bearing support part 251-1 and the elastic body support part 251-2, and is attached to the generator engine 20 via the engine support part 251-3. The bearing support part 251-1 supports the link member 251 rotatably, and the elastic body support part 251-2 restricts the rotation of the link member 251 within a predetermined range. The link member 252 of the support mechanism 25 has a bearing support part 252-1, an elastic body support part 252-2, and an engine support part 252-3, as shown in Fig. 4(c) and . The link member 252 is attached to the vehicle body frame 10 via a bearing support portion 252-1 and an elastic body support portion 252-2, and is attached to the generator engine 20 via an engine support portion 252-3. The bearing support portion 252-1 rotatably supports the link member 251, and the elastic body support portion 252-2 restricts the rotation of the link member 252 within a predetermined range.

As shown in Figure 4 (d), the stopper 253 of the support mechanism 25 has a bearing support part 253-1 and an engine support part 253-2. The stopper 253 is attached to the vehicle body frame 10 via the bearing support part 253-1 and the engine support part 253-2, and is attached to the generator engine 20 via the engine support part 253-2. The bearing support part 253-1 supports the stopper 253 so that it can rotate. Note that in Figures 4 (b) to (d), the vehicle body frame 10 and the generator engine 20 are indicated by dashed lines.

In this embodiment, the link members 251 and 252 allow the generator engine 20 to vibrate in the translational direction and in the rotational direction around the crankshaft. Here, the stopper 253 suppresses the vibration of the generator engine 20 in the rotational direction. This allows the series hybrid saddle-type vehicle 4 to suppress large vibrations of the generator engine 20. Note that the bearing support parts 251-1, 252-1 and 253-1 may be configured to rotate the link members 251 to 253 using elastic members such as inner and outer cylindrical bushings or cured bushings instead of bearings.

[Fifth embodiment]
A fifth embodiment of the present invention will now be described. Fig. 5 is a top view showing the configuration of a series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 5 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 5 is configured as follows. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1 shown in Fig. 1.

The generator engine 20 of the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 5 of FIG. 5 is eccentrically disposed so that the volume of the cylinder 21 included in the first region A1 is smaller than the volume of the cylinder 21 included in the second region A2, and the generator 30 is partially or entirely included in the first region A1. Here, the first region A1 and the second region A2 refer to two regions defined by dividing the space including the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 5 into two by a central plane that passes through the center C of the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 5 in the left-right direction LR and extends in the up-down direction UD and the front-rear direction FB. The series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 5 of FIG. 5 also has a drive motor 17 that generates a drive force for running the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 5, and a power line 18 that electrically connects the battery 40, the generator 30, and the drive motor 17. The power line 18 is disposed so that the portion included in the first region A1 is greater than the portion included in the second region A2.

In the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 5 of this embodiment, the generator engine 20 is eccentrically positioned as described above, so that a larger space can be secured in the second area A2 than in the first area A1. At this time, in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 5, the power lines 18 that provide electrical connection between the battery 40, the generator 30, and the drive motor 17 are positioned so that a larger portion of the power lines 18 is included in the first area A1 than in the second area A2. This allows the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 5 of this embodiment to make effective use of space.

Sixth Embodiment
A sixth embodiment of the present invention will now be described. Fig. 6 is a top view showing the configuration of a series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 6 according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 6 is configured as follows. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 1 shown in Fig. 1.

The generator engine 20 of the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 6 in Fig. 6 is eccentrically disposed so that the volume of the cylinder 21 included in the first area A1 is smaller than the volume of the cylinder 21 included in the second area A2, and the generator 30 is partly or entirely included in the first area A1. Here, the first area A1 and the second area A2 refer to two areas defined by dividing the space including the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 6 into two by a central plane that passes through the center C of the series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle 6 in the left-right direction LR and extends in the up-down direction UD and the front-rear direction FB.
6 has a radiator 23, a running air passage 26, air-cooling fins 43, and an exhaust air passage 27. The radiator 23 is disposed in front F of the battery 40. The running air passage 26 is configured so that the running air passes beside the battery 40 in the first area A1. The air-cooling fins 43 are provided on the battery 40 so as to be exposed to the running air passage 26. The exhaust air passage 27 is configured so that the exhaust air from the radiator 23 flows beside the battery 40 in the second area A2.

The running air passage 26 utilizes a gap between the battery 40 and the generator engine 20 in the first area A1, which is created, for example, by covering the side of the body frame 10 with the cowl 261, and the cowl 261. The exhaust air passage 27 is secured, for example, by providing a straightening plate 271 in the rear direction B of the radiator 23 in the fore-and-aft direction FB. The straightening plate 271 enables the exhaust air from the radiator 23 to be guided to the second area A2. The exhaust air passage 27 may also be configured by providing an exhaust port behind the radiator 23 that guides the exhaust air to the second area A2.

In the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle 6 of this embodiment, the exhaust air of the radiator 23 passes through the second area A2, and the running air passes through the first area A1. The air-cooling fins 43 of the battery 40 are arranged in the first area A1. Therefore, in the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle 6, the battery 40 is cooled by the running air, and the exhaust air heated by the radiator 23 does not hit the air-cooling fins 43 of the battery 40, so that the temperature rise of the battery 40 can be suppressed.

Reference Signs List 1 to 6 Series hybrid straddle-type vehicle 10 Body frame 15 Front wheel 16 Rear wheel 20 Power generating engine 21 Cylinder 25 Support mechanism 30 Generator 40 Battery

Claims (5)

A series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle,
The series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle is
The vehicle frame,
a front wheel and a rear wheel provided at different positions in a front-rear direction of the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle;
a generator engine having one or more cylinders and supported by the vehicle body frame via a support mechanism;
a generator supported by the generator engine and driven by the generator engine to generate electricity;
a battery to which power is supplied from the generator;
the support mechanism is configured to allow vibration of the generator engine relative to the vehicle body frame, and a direction of the vibration includes at least a component in the front-rear direction;
both the battery and the generator engine are provided to be located at least partially in a region between the front and rear wheels, the region between the front and rear wheels being a region between the rear ends of the front wheels and the front ends of the rear wheels in the front-rear direction and below the higher of the upper ends of the front wheels and the upper ends of the rear wheels;
The battery is supported by the vehicle body frame in a swingable or fixed manner so as to satisfy all of the following (A) to (C), and the (A) to (C) are:
(A) the battery is disposed forward of the generator engine in the front-rear direction;
(B) at least a portion of the battery overlaps with the generator engine when viewed in a front-rear direction of the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle; and
(C) the battery is disposed to face the generator engine with a gap in the front-rear direction, and the gap is larger than the sum of a maximum amplitude of the vibration permitted by the support mechanism in the vibration direction and a maximum amplitude of the battery in the vibration direction;
The series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle further includes a heat insulating member disposed within the gap . 2. The series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle according to claim 1,
The series hybrid straddle-type vehicle includes an elastic member disposed within the gap. 3. A series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle according to claim 1 or 2,
The support mechanism includes:
a link member attached to the vehicle body frame and supporting the generator engine;
a stopper provided on the vehicle body frame to limit a range of swing of the link member;
has. A series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
the generator engine is eccentrically disposed such that a volume of the one or more cylinders included in a first region is smaller than a volume of the one or more cylinders included in a second region, and the generator is partially or entirely included in the first region, and the first region and the second region refer to two regions defined by dividing a space including the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle into two by a center plane that passes through the center of the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle in the left-right direction of the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle and extends in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction,
The series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle further comprises:
a drive motor that generates a drive force for propelling the series hybrid straddle-type vehicle;
a power line for electrically connecting the battery, the generator, and the drive motor;
having
The power lines are arranged such that a larger portion of the power lines is included in the first region than in the second region. A series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
the generator engine is eccentrically disposed such that a volume of the one or more cylinders included in a first region is smaller than a volume of the one or more cylinders included in a second region, and the generator is partially or entirely included in the first region, and the first region and the second region refer to two regions defined by dividing a space including the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle into two by a center plane that passes through the center of the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle in the left-right direction of the series hybrid saddle-ride type vehicle and extends in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction,
The series hybrid saddle-ride vehicle further comprises:
A radiator disposed in front of the battery;
a running wind passage configured so that running wind passes beside the battery in the first area;
An air-cooling fin for the battery is provided so as to be exposed to the running wind passage;
an exhaust passage configured to cause the exhaust air of the radiator to flow next to the battery in the second area;
has.

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